Shoe polish applicator assembly



March 29, 1960 w. M; HUSBAND SHOE POLISH APPLICATOR ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 5, 1958 INVENTOR. WILLIAM M. HUSBAND SHOE POLISH APPLICATOR ASSEMBLY William M. Husband, Rocky River, Ohio Application February 5, 1958, Serial No 713,350 7 1 i 11 Claims. (Cl. 258) The present invention relates to a shoe polish applicator assembly and, more particularly, to a self-contained, compact, portable kit. My kit contains all of the ingredients and tools needed in polishing shoes and the like,'so that such ingredients and tools are not easily lost or scattered, as about a home, but are always available. Further, the compactness and relatively light weight of my applicator assembly make it ideally suited for traveling or storage where conservation of space is desirable.

In one form, the present applicator assembly includes a housing for a reel adapted to carry a polishing cloth or the like. Relative rotation between the housing and the reel pays out or retracts the cloth with respect to the housing. The reel may also contain a paste for a polishing operation and, in the preferred form of the invention, the paste may be forced in a desired amount from the reel onto paste-applying brush means. The present applicator assembly also contemplates still other improvements such as automatic retracting means for the cloth and controls for the issuing of the paste from the reel to brush means. I

A principal object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an improved shoe polish applicator assembly which is compact and easily portable. I

Another object is to provide a self-contained, unitary shoe polishing kit in which a polishing cloth is readily advanced from or retracted into a housing defining the kit, and in which such action may be used if desired to effect the ejection of paste therefrom.

A further object is to provide a self-contained, unitary shoe polishing kit in which a paste may be forced therefrom in desired amounts.

A still further object is to provide ratchet means to con trol the ejection of paste from theflkit.

Other objects of the invention will become apparentas the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention consists of the'features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and following disclosure describing in detail the invention, such drawing and disclosure illustrating, however, but one or more of the various ways in which the invention may be practiced.

In said annexed drawing: 1

Figure 1 is a side view partially broken away, of a modified form of my shoe polish applicator assembly.

Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal section of Figure 5 on the line 22. I

Figures 3 and 4. are sections of Figure 2 taken on the lines 33 and 44, respectively,'and

Figure 5 is an end view of Figure 2, partially broken away, taken on the plane of the line 5-5.

The various parts of my applicator assembly, except for those hereinafter noted, may be made from sheet metal,

wood, or synthetic plastics such as polystyrene, polyethylene, or nylon. Referring to Figures 1 through 5, the embodiment illustrated includes a tubular housing or elongated container 22 which may be shaped along one sideinto a'brush back 23 (Figure 3) to which bristles 23a are conventionally secured'to provide means for a polishing action. The housing 22 contains a reel 24 adapted to contain paste 13 by means of a tubular insert 25 which telescopically engages the reel 24. The left-hand end ot the housing 22 as viewed in Figure 2is closed by a plate 26 having an inwardly turned flange 27 which snap fits into place as by nipples 27a which engage suitable dents in' the housing or sleeve 22. A coiled spring 28 has an outer end fixed to the flange 27 (Figure 3) and an inner end fixed to a nose portion 24a of the reel by a pin 29. The pin 29 also secures a threaded shank member 30 relatively to the reel 24. The shank member 30 extends into the telescoped reel 24 and insert 25 and threadably engages a piston or plunger 31. The latter is generally l-shaped, one end of which is bored and threaded as at 32 to receive the threaded shank member30 and the other end of which is solid to ram against the paste 13. The central portion of the plunger 31 is hollow to accommodate plunger also has radially projectinglugs or wings 33 (Figure 4) which fit within internal axial slots 34 of the tubular insert 25. This insures common rotation ofthe insert 25 and plunger 31 while permitting relativeaxial movement between such parts for a purpose hereinafter described. a

The right-hand end of. the housing 22 as viewed in Figure 2 has an inwardly turned flange 35 to abut against a rim 36 ofan enlarged end 37 ofthe tubular insert 25 and prevent excessive relative axial movement among the housing 22, reel 24, and insert 25. A detent 38 riveted tothe rim 36 engages a ratchet ring 39 formed from an adjacent end of the reel 24. The enlarged end 37 of the tubular insert terminates in paste-applying brush means 40 and has an opening 41, so that the brush means 40 'communicates with the paste 13 within the insert. A cup-;

shaped cover guard 42 encloses the brush means 40 and snap fits about the enlarged end 37 of the insert to prevent paste from inadvertently rubbing off the brush bristles 40. A soft rubbing cloth 43 in sheet form has one end fixed to the reel 24 by pins 43a (Figure 4) and, after winding about the reel 24 extends the opposite end through a slotted opening 44. A rod 45 prevents completetetraction of this opposite end of the cloth into the unitary'container 22. so that the cloth strip 43 is always accessible.

In practice, paste is applied by the brush means 40 and the cloth 43 may be pulled from the reel 24 by the rod 45. In addition the large brush means 23a may be used to aid in the polishing action. However, rotation of the reel 24 compresses the coiled spring 28 radially inwardly. Consequently, when the cloth 43 is released,=the spring 28 automatically and quickly rotates the reel 24in an opposite direction to rewind the cloth 43 about the reel '24 25 because of the relatively close fittherebetween. Also,

rotation of the insert 25 turns the piston 31 because of the intermeshing tabs or wings 33 and slots 34. However,

when it is desired to force or extrude the paste 13 to the brush means 40, the-enlarged end 37 of the insert is gripped by the user and held stationary while the cloth 43 is unwound. The rotating reel 24 causes the threaded] shank member 30 to rotate also, but since-the insert 25 7 and plunger or piston 31 are held againstrotation, the

"Patented'Mar. 29, 1960' plun er 31 is forced forwardly to extrude the paste 13 through the opening 41 to the brush means 4Q. During this movement, the detent 38 slips past the ratchet ring 39 since the rotation is in the direction of the arrow 46 (F s soo s a sufiic e t amount o pas e is so. de h n ert 2 s r ea d, nd there s om o q at the ee ,4 n t 5 and p ston 3 as e r with no axial movement at this time of the piston.

It is desirable always to maintain the piston or plunger 31 In its foremost d n ed po i i n. in e inse 25, so that the Paste 3 m b tantly ex ru ed b p llin on the cloth 43 while holding the enlarged end 37 stationary. To avoid relative rotation between the reel 2,4 nd he se 25 during ret c i n o e c oth. 4 .1Wh 9h. m ght arise as when the enlarged end 37 is inadvertently gripped by the user, the detent 38 and ratehet ring 39 are used. As shown in Figure 1,, the p s en e flfil retraction of the cloth 4 3 to force the desired mutual rotation of the reel 24 and insert 25, so that the piston 31;. cannot be withdrawn to an original starting position.

It will now be apparent that 'I have provided an improved shoe polish applicator assembly which is compact and easily portable. My assembly embodies a kit in which a polishing cloth is readily advanced from or retracted into a'unitary housing therefor. 'In the pre ferred form of my applicator assembly, suitable shoe polish may be forced from the kit to a brush means ,and controls may be included automatically to retract a plplislhling cloth and to control the ejection of paste from t e 't.

Gther forms embodying the features of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the features herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such features be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

l. A shoe polish applicator assembly including a container, a reel member having a hollow portion carried within the container for relative rotation therewith and adapted to contain paste in such hollow portion, brush means on the reel member communicating with such hollow portion to receive paste therefrom, a flexible sheet rubbing member wound about the reel member, said container having an exit to permit passage therethrough of such rubbing member, whereby relative rotation between the container and the reel member pays out and retracts the flexible rubbing member with respect to said exit, and means within the reel member responsive to relative rotation between said last-men: tioned means and said reel member to force paste from such hollow portion of the reel member to'the brush means.

2. A shoe polish applicator assembly including an elongated container, a reel member having a hollow portion carried within the container for relative rotation therewith and adapted to contain paste in such hollow portion, brush means on the reel member communicating with such hollow portion to receive paste therefrom, a flexible sheet rubbing member wound about the reel member, said container having an exit to permit passage therethrough of such rubbing member, a plunger member carried within the hollow portion of the'reel member and operative upon relative movement between the plunger and reel member to force paste from the hollow portion to such brush means, whereby relative rotation between the container and the reel member pays out and retracts the flexible rubbing member with respect to said exit.

3. An applicator assembly as claimed in claim 2 further including a coiled spring having one end attached to the elongated container and the other end attached to the reel member to oppose such paying out of the sheet rubbing member to provide automatic retraction thereof through said exit.

gesope'r 4. A shoe polish applicator assembly including a tubular container, a tubular reel carried within said container for relative rotation therewith, a tubular insert telescopically engaging the reel and adapted to contain a paste, brush means on the insert communicating with the interior thereof, a threaded member mounted on the reel and extending into the tubular insert, a nut member disposed within the insert and engaging the threaded member, means to prevent rotation between the nut member and the insert while permitting translation therebetween to force paste from the insert to said brush means upon relative movement between the nut member and the tubular reel, a flexible sheet rubbing member attached adjacent one end to the reel member, said tubular container having an exit opening to permit passage therethrough of the opposite end of said flexible sheet, whereby relative rotation between the tubular container and the reel pays out and retracts the flexible rubbing memb r h respec o a e i 5. A self-eontained shoe polishing kit including a tubular housing, a tubular reel mounted within the'housing for coaxial rotation therewith, a tubular insert telescopically engaging the reel and adapted to contain a paste, paste-applying brush means carried at an end of the insert communicating with the interior thereof and extending clear of the tubular housing, a piston disposed within'the tubular insert, means providing for common rotation of the piston and insert and relative axial movement therebetween, a threaded member carried by the reel threadably engaging said piston to force paste from the insert to said bruSh'means 'upon relative rotation between the piston and the reel, a cloth attached adjacent one end to the reel, and said tubular housing having a slotted opening to permit passage therethrough of the opposite end of the cloth.

6 A self-contained shoe polishing kit including a tubular housing, a tubular reel mounted within the housing for coaxial rotation therewith, a tubular insert telescopically engaging the reel normally for common rotation therewith and adapted to contain a paste, pasteapplying brush ineans carried at an end of the insert communicating with the interior thereof and extending clear of the tubular housing, a piston disposed within the tubular insert having substantially radially projecting wings, said insert having axially disposed slots to receive the wings and permit relative axial movement be tween the piston and the insert while providing for common rotation, a threaded member carried by the reel threadably engaging said piston, a cloth strip attached adjacent one end to the reel, said tubular housing having an axially disposed slotted opening to permit passage therethrough of the opposite end of the cloth strip, whereby withdrawal of the cloth strip through said slotted opening produces common rotation of the reel and insert relatively to the tubular housing while withdrawal of the cloth strip while restraining the tubular insert produces relative rotation between the insert and the reel to advance said piston forwardly of the housing and force paste from the insert to said brush means.

7. A shoe polishing kit as claimed in claim 6 further including cooperating ratchet and detent means mounted on said tubular insert and reel to engage upon retraction or the cloth strip and maintain the piston at the advanced forward position.

8. A shoe polishing kit as claimed in claim 6 further including stop' means on said opposite end of the cloth strip to prevent complete retraction of said cloth strip through the slotted opening, and a removable guard to enclose said brush means.

9. A shoe polish applicator assembly comprising a housing, a reel mounted within said housing for rotation relative thereto, a polishing cloth attached to said reel forwithdrawal from said housing and retraction therewithin, a. shoe polish receptacle within said housing, and means responsive to relative rotation of said reel and receptacle operative to expel paste from said receptacle.

10. The assembly of claim 9 including'brush means References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kurtz Nov. 29, 1898 Schell Jan. 19, 1909 Vanderbilt Feb. 8, 1921 Degenkolb Jan. 31, 1922 

